Revelation
by Ailendolin
Summary: Merlin’s magic is revealed against his will by a familiar face. Arthur is there and has to decide what to do about it. Can be seen as pre-slash Arthur/Merlin or gen.


**Title:** Revelation

**Author:** Ailendolin

**Rating:** T (PG-13) … just to be sure.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Merlin and do not make any money with this story.

**Summary:** Merlin's magic is revealed against his will by a familiar face. Arthur is there and has to decide what to do about it. Can be seen as pre-slash Arthur/Merlin or gen.

**Word count:** 3771

**Spoilers:** Let's just say for both series 1 and 2 to be on the safe side.  
**  
Author's Notes:  
**Hi! *waves* First Merlin fic! Yay!  
So, this happened because of a little writing project a friend and I had. We gave ourselves the prompt "Revelation of Merlin's Magic" (or RoMM for short *g*) and a deadline to complete a story. Well, the deadline part didn't really work out, but the story did. So, here it is. Have fun! Oh, and I'm from Germany, so English's not my first language and there may be some mistakes due to that.

**Revelation**

Winter in Camelot was not something to look forward to. It could get terribly cold and sometimes snow was piling so high outside that no one could leave the city. But despite all this, Merlin found himself standing one day in Arthur's chambers at the window, watching the snow fall gently to the ground. The prince was currently in a meeting with his father in the council chamber, so Merlin was in no hurry to finish his chores. Instead, he took a moment to just enjoy the beauty of winter. The snow made the land look young and innocent, as if it presented a chance for everything to start anew.

With a smile, Merlin turned from the window and picked up the blankets he had brought with him earlier. He carefully arranged them on Arthur's bed, making sure the softest one lay at the bottom so Arthur would be comfortable and warm at night. After being satisfied with his work, Merlin made his way over to the fire. The flames were small, nearly extinguished and provided almost no more warmth. The young warlock glanced briefly at the closed door before he held out his hand and whispered, _"Forbaerne!"_ Instantly, the flames rose higher and the room flickered in a golden light.

That's better, Merlin thought and stood up. Before he reached the door, however, the warning bells suddenly started chiming. Curious, Merlin went to the window to see what the commotion was all about. The courtyard though was empty. No one but a few of Camelot's Knights was about and even they looked enquiring at the bell tower. He did not know why but suddenly Merlin felt a sense of dread, of foreboding and he knew that something was wrong.

With long strides, he crossed the room and opened the door. The hallway was as empty as the courtyard and without thinking about it he started walking in the direction of the council chamber.

'Kill him!' Merlin stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that voice and he knew that he was the only one who could hear it. Not for the first time he wished he had never helped the druid boy and had instead listened to the Great Dragon. Pushing his feelings of regret aside, Merlin closed his eyes and concentrated on the voice, trying to determine the location of Mordred. He opened them abruptly and started running when he realised that the voice came from the direction of the council chamber.

It seemed to take forever and Merlin hoped fervently that whoever the druid boy had commanded to kill had not yet gone through with it. Arthur and the king were in that chamber and the death of either would be devastating for Camelot. Merlin rounded the final corner and saw Sir Leon and two other knights desperately trying to open the heavy oak doors.

"What happened?" he asked, slightly out of breath. Sir Leon leant heavily against the doors and looked at him.

"I don't know for sure. We were guarding the chamber when a druid boy appeared out of nowhere and said a spell. When we came to, the boy was gone and the doors wouldn't open. I sent knights to try to get in through the windows but I fear it is no use. The royal family could be dead already."

No, Merlin thought, there must be a way in. He could feel Mordred becoming more and more agitated and he knew he had to act fast and at the same time be careful not to openly use his magic.

"A ram!" he exclaimed, after a moment. "We need a ram to break through the doors."

Immediately, the two other knights stopped trying to get through the doors and looked for the next best thing they could use as a ram. It took them merely a minute to find a suitable piece of furniture in one of the anterooms but to Merlin it seemed like an eternity. He waited for a piercing scream, a mad laugh or some other sign that they were too late, but none ever came.

Sir Leon nodded at the knights and took hold of one side of the bench the two men had found. He began to count, "Three, two – one!"

The knights began to run towards the doors, determination clear in their eyes. Merlin waited until the bench almost touched the doors before he mumbled, "_Allinan!" _The doors opened at exactly the right time and the knights stumbled into the room with Merlin walking in right behind them. The first thing he saw was Arthur being held at sword point, although not by Mordred or some nameless other druid. The hand holding the sword was feminine and when the woman turned around in surprise, Merlin could not keep a shocked gasp from escaping.

"Of course it would be you," Morgana said, a cold smile replacing the surprise on her face. "No one else could have gotten through that door."

Sir Leon and the knights looked bewildered but Merlin paid them no attention. Morgana's sword was still pointed at Arthur's neck and even though Arthur looked outwardly composed, Merlin could see the slight flicker of fear and also hope in his eyes when the prince looked at him. Next to Arthur, on the ground, lay Uther. Blood trickled from a wound on his forehead down his face and he was not moving. Merlin could see no other injuries on the king and hoped that Uther was merely unconscious and had not been killed by his former ward who Merlin had always suspected to be even dearer to him than his own son.

"Emrys." Merlin turned around and his eyes landed on Mordred. The druid boy had grown since he had last seen him, but the piercing blue eyes were still as cruel and unforgiving as ever. Mordred smiled at him a smile that lacked any emotion but hatred and suddenly his eyes turned golden. Behind him, Merlin heard a loud crash and as he whirled around he saw the knights who had found the ram sliding down the far wall after having obviously hit it with great force. They did not get up again.

"Why are you doing this?" Merlin asked, trying to play for time. He looked directly at Morgana, figuring she would be more open for debate than Mordred. "This is not you, Morgana! You're better than this!"

Morgana let out a shrill laugh. "And you would know that, wouldn't you? Let me tell you something, Merlin: You could have helped me when I was in need of guidance but you chose not to. You sided with the very people who would see us dead. Do not judge me for wanting to live freely without fear."

"But killing the king is not the solution, Morgana! Can't you see that you're doing exactly what made Uther ban magic in the first place?" Merlin tried to reason, all the time aware that the tip of Morgana's sword still lay at Arthur's throat.

"Oh, as if you would hesitate to kill someone. I have not forgotten what you did to me."

Merlin could feel Arthur's questioning glance but did not take his eyes off Morgana. So it is time for truths, he thought. Well, two can play this game.

"I never meant to hurt you and I regret that I had to do this. But when it comes down to choosing between you and Camelot, I'd always choose Camelot. You were a threat to everyone because you allied yourself with Morgause. I couldn't stand by and watch you destroy the future."

"And what future will that be, Merlin?" Morgana asked with venom in her voice. "I'll tell you. A future with no hope for anyone having magic as long as Uther is alive."

"But you do realize that Arthur will never lift the ban of magic when you kill Uther now, don't you?" Merlin retorted, voice laced with sarcasm.

Morgana glanced briefly at Arthur then shrugged. "Then he will have to die, too. I don't care. Nothing will stop us from gaining our freedom."

Merlin could not believe that a person could change so much in such a short amount of time. He had once considered Morgana one of his best friends in Camelot and he had felt a connection through their magic. Right now, however, he only saw a woman led astray by Mordred's own hatred towards Uther, Arthur and Merlin himself. Morgana was nothing more than a pawn for Mordred, just another way to make this encounter even more painful.

"Morgana is right," Mordred said, still smiling coldly. "Nothing will stop us, not even you. But then again, I never believed your powers were a match for me."

Merlin shot a panicked glance at Arthur who looked back at him with confusion in his eyes. Morgana and Mordred laughed and Merlin suddenly felt sick.

"Oh, you still haven't told him?" Morgana asked gleefully. She turned to Arthur, "All this time you hunted down sorcerers in your father's name, Arthur, and yet one of the greatest warlocks ever known lived right under your nose."

"Merlin?" Arthur's usually confident voice sounded small and was tinged with disbelief and confusion. The prince looked directly at Merlin and his eyes seemed to plead for someone to tell him that this was not true.

"Yes, Merlin," Mordred said, voice cold and triumphant. "You sound surprised. He's used magic on you since he met you."

"That's not true!" Merlin shouted. He looked directly at Arthur, willing the prince to believe him. "I never used magic on you. I only ever used magic to help you or to save you. Please, Arthur, I would never do anything to harm you or Camelot."

Arthur averted his eyes and something broke in Merlin upon seeing his friend in such anguish. Anger burned inside him and he turned to look at Mordred, voice dangerously calm, "It was not your place to tell him that. Yet you give me one advantage I've never had before."

Mordred looked irritated for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"Now," Merlin said, a small smile on his lips, "I have nothing to lose. _Gehaeftan!_"

The spell surprised both Mordred and Morgana. Chains appeared out of nowhere, winding themselves tightly around their bodies so neither of them could move. Morgana's sword clattered to the ground and Arthur instantly moved behind Merlin and next to Sir Leon and Merlin took this as a good sign. At least Arthur seemed to trust him more than Morgana and Mordred.

Morgana struggled against the chains but Mordred just looked at him coldly. "You know these won't bind me for long."

Mordred then looked towards Uther who still lay unconscious on the ground. Merlin could see hatred in the druid boy's eyes and the beginnings of a spell.

"Oh no, you won't!"

Before Mordred's eyes could turn fully golden Merlin shouted, "_Gescildan!_" A shield appeared in front of Uther and Mordred growled in frustration as his spell was deflected.

"You have chosen the wrong side, Emrys," he said. "Someday, you will regret this."

With another flash of gold in his eyes, a wind appeared around him and Morgana, making them disappear in the same way the old woman on Merlin's first day in Camelot had after watching her son die.

"No!" Merlin shouted and tried to grab a hold of Mordred but it was no use. He and Morgana were barely visible anymore.

"We will meet again, Emrys." Mordred vowed with conviction before he disappeared. Merlin looked towards Morgana and saw only hatred in her eyes as she, too, vanished. He stood breathing heavily there for a moment, staring into thin air and trying to get his bearings. He did not want to face Arthur and see the hurt in his eyes.

"We've got to get the king to his chambers and have Gaius attend to him." Arthur finally interrupted the silence. "Summon the knights, Sir Leon. Tell them to treat those men. And make it clear that the Lady Morgana is no longer welcome in Camelot."

"Yes, Sire. But what about Merlin?"

At the sound of his name, Merlin turned around and looked at Arthur. The prince's mask was perfectly back in place and Merlin had no idea what Arthur was thinking at the moment. Arthur looked him in the eye and without breaking that contact said, "You will not speak a word of this to anyone, have I made myself clear? Not even the king. I am not my father. I don't condemn people on the principle of magic. Merlin has a right to explain this."

With those words, Arthur looked away and Merlin felt relief flooding through him. Arthur was giving him a chance to set things right and to show him that magic cannot only be used for destruction and war. He saw Sir Leon nodding before exiting the chamber to look for the other knights, leaving Merlin and Arthur alone with three unconscious men. Merlin glanced at Arthur. The young prince looked exhausted as he knelt down beside his father, as if he now bore a great burden.

"Thank you," Merlin said quietly and Arthur looked up at him with an unreadable expression on his face. "You didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did," Arthur said. Emotions flickered through his eyes so fast Merlin only recognized a few, among them hurt, sadness, hope and desperation. "I need to know that not all magic is evil. That you are not evil."

Merlin nodded, not knowing how to reply to that and together they waited in silence until Sir Leon arrived with several men in tow. Four of them tended to their fallen comrades while the other three together with Sir Leon put the king upon a stretcher. Arthur and Merlin followed them out the door.

"I have dispatched a guard to send for the court physician, my lord," Sir Leon said after they had laid Uther upon his bed. "He should be here shortly."

Arthur nodded and sank down in a chair. Merlin exchanged a look with Sir Leon and was relieved to see the man smiling back at him before he moved to stand beside Arthur. Leon told his men to help care for the wounded and to organise the repairs of the doors to the council chamber and it was not soon after they left that Gaius entered the king's chambers, immediately starting to look the king over and asking what had happened.

"It's a long story," Arthur said with a sigh as he rubbed his eyes. "Is my father alright?"

"I think so, sire," Gaius replied. "He is merely unconscious from the blow he took to his head. He may also have a slight concussion but he should make a full recovery. I will bandage his head and after that all he needs is rest."

"Good. That's good," Arthur said slowly and looked at Sir Leon. "I trust you're able to handle the situation?"

"Of course, Sire."

"Alright. I'll be in my chambers if you need me." Arthur nodded at both Sir Leon and Gaius before he glanced at Merlin. "Merlin, you're with me."

Together they left the king's room and walked silently the familiar way through the halls to Arthur's chambers. It was a cold and uncomfortable few minutes and Merlin did not know what to expect once they were in Arthur's room. Even though Arthur had given him the chance to explain everything and it seemed that he would not end up on the pyre come morning, Merlin knew this did not mean that all would everything would be alright.

Arthur's chambers were pleasantly heated and the fire was still burning brightly in the hearth when they arrived. The prince sat down on his bed and motioned for Merlin to do the same. They sat together quietly for a while, both nervously staring at some part of the wall. Merlin felt more distanced from Arthur at this moment than ever before. It was as if Arthur had closed himself off completely in a desperate attempt to prevent himself from getting hurt but at the same time he needed Merlin to finally tell him the truth because there was a last flicker of hope that told him it could all work out.

"How long?" Arthur finally asked without looking up. He was wringing his hands and staring intently at them. Merlin shrugged.

"How long what? How long have I been practising magic? Since my birth. I was born with it, Arthur. It wasn't something I chose to do. It was just always there. Magic is a part of me."

Arthur looked up at that, caution in his eyes. "You never studied it?"

"Well, not before I came to Camelot," Merlin admitted. "Some things just come naturally to me, like moving objects. I could do magic even before I could speak and I couldn't control it at first. My mother had a hard time keeping it a secret from the villagers. As I got older I learned not to channel my emotions through my magic and it became easier to control it. I never practised it much but I always felt its presence. It never left me."

"Why did you start studying it here, of all places? Camelot's the last place a ... a sorcerer should come to," Arthur asked bewildered.

"My mother sent me here. She had hoped that Gaius could help me get a better grasp on my magic. He gave me a spell book and I started learning simple spells like starting a fire or something," Merlin said. He looked at Arthur and waited until Arthur met his eyes before he continued, "Then that witch threatened your life and I finally knew the purpose of my magic. I have only used it ever since to protect you."

"So it was you who made that chandelier fall on her," Arthur said, a note of realization in his voice. "All these occasions where I just thought we'd gotten lucky, that was you, wasn't it? And the light ..."  
Arthur trailed of and Merlin thought he was remembering the time where Merlin had drunken poison for him and then had sent Arthur help in form of a glowing ball of light to escape safely with the flower.

"Gaius told me about that. The light, I mean. I did it unconsciously. It's apparently part of my magic that comes naturally to me."

"I never told anyone about what I saw," Arthur confessed. "I knew of course that a ball of light doesn't appear out of thin air, that it had to be magic. But it hadn't felt threatening, not like everyone always told me magic was. It had felt ... I don't know, maybe friendly. And reassuring. Trustworthy. I somehow knew it wouldn't harm me."

Merlin smiled at that. Arthur had a look of wonder on his face as he glanced at Merlin, as if he saw his manservant for the first time.

"I would never hurt you, Arthur. I promise you that I'd never turn my magic against you or Camelot," Merlin vowed with determination in his voice.

"I believe you," Arthur said quietly and Merlin felt himself grinning. It did not last long, however, as Arthur continued in a voice filled with anguish and cracking with emotion, "But why didn't you tell me? I trust you with my life, Merlin and now I've got the feeling like I don't even know you. I thought you trusted me as well ..."

Arthur looked away, trying to regain control over his emotions. His hands were clenching and unclenching repeatedly in his lap and Merlin couldn't stop himself from gently clasping Arthur's hands in his own. Arthur went completely still before he glanced down at their joined hands. After a moment he looked back at Merlin who was smiling softly at him and squeezed his hands, saying, "I trust you, Arthur. Maybe not when we first met but I do now. I have for a very long time."

"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?" Arthur asked again, looking lost and confused and more like a young boy than a prince. "Did you think I'd tell my father?"

"Honestly, Arthur? I don't know. I mean, at first I obviously couldn't tell you because I didn't know you. Then I got to know you and I realised that you already had so many burdens to carry and I didn't want to add another to that pile."

Merlin sighed and started absently stroking his thumb over the back of Arthur's hand. The prince was listening intently and was waiting patiently for him to continue.

"You are so desperate for your father's approval, Arthur," Merlin said at last. "I always hoped you would hear me out when it came to the revelation of my magic. I never doubted your fairness. But I was scared that your loyalty to your father would make you chose him over me and I can understand that, really, after all I'm just a servant, but I just wasn't ready to take that risk, you know?"

"Sometimes you really are quite dense, Merlin," Arthur said and now it was him gripping Merlin's hands. "I've already chosen you over my father a long time ago. I defied him the first time when I set out against his explicit orders to look for that flower that would safe you. I've done things for you I'd never do for anyone else and I could never forgive myself if something happened to you. It's ... I – I can't imagine a life without you anymore, Merlin."

Arthur's voice was nothing more than a whisper and it was then that Merlin knew that everything would be alright between them, maybe even better than before. He smiled at Arthur and before the prince knew what was happening Merlin had wrapped his arms around him and drawn him into a hug.

"Thank you," Merlin whispered fiercely.

"For what?" Arthur asked, slowly relaxing into the embrace. He tightened his arms around Merlin.

"For believing in me. For giving me a chance and for trusting me. Just ... just for being you, I guess."

He felt Arthur's nod against his shoulder and closed his eyes. For the first time since he had come to Camelot Merlin felt truly happy and at peace, finally being relieved of the secret he had kept so long. He smiled into Arthur's hair and tightened the hug.

Whatever would happen in the future, they would face it together – without any secrets between them, only understanding and acceptance.

**The end.**


End file.
